WT/REG/33  
 
14 Novem ber 202 2 
(22-8493) Page: 1/4 
   
 
REPORT ( 2022 ) OF THE  
COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL  TRADE AGREEMENTS  
TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL  
CHAIRM EN: DR. CLEOPA KILONZO MAILU (KENYA) AND  
MR TAEHO LEE (REPUBLIC OF KOREA)  
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.   The Committee on Regional Trade Agreements ( CRTA ) pursue d its activities  with m eetings 
held in person with a virtual add on through the Interprefy platform. At its first meeting in March 
2022, the CRTA elected, by acclamation, Ambassador Taeho LEE  (Republic of Korea ), as Chairman 
of the CRTA .  
1.2.  During 2022, the Committee held four sessions (in March, June , September  and November) . 
The minutes of those meetings  are listed in the Attachment.  
2  OBSERVER STATUS  
2.1.  No decision was taken with respect to the requests for observer status listed in document 
WT/REG/W/11/Add.4/Rev.2.  
3  EARLY ANNOUNCEMENTS  
3.1.  In the period 16 October 2021 to 15 October 2022, no early announcements were received 
from Members.  
4  NOTIFICATIONS  
4.1.  In the period 16 October 2021 to 15 October 2022, the CRTA received 16 notifications of new 
regional trade agreements ( RTAs), seven  on trade in goods notified under Article XXIV of GATT 1994, 
and nine on trade in services notified under Article  V of GATS.1 The CRTA also received additional 
notifications concerning six RTAs already notified.2 
4.2.  In an effort to encourage the notification of non -notified RTAs, the Chairmen with the help of 
the Secretariat continued to draw up and circulate in advance of CRTA meetings a list of non -notified 
RTAs which have been verified by their parties as being in force and appeared in factual 
presentations.3 The most recent  list, circulated in November  2022, contain s 58 RTAs. Since its 
circulation, one RTA included therein has been notified.  
 
1 Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) – Serbia; Un ited Kingdom – Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; 
Türkiye – Kosovo* (*reference to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of the United Nations 
Security Council resolution 1244 (1999)); Türkiye – Serbia; EFTA – Türkiye; Republic of Korea – Türkiye; EFT A 
– Ecuador; EFTA – Indonesia; Southern African Development Community (SADC); India – United Arab 
Emirates; EFTA – Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).  
2 Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations Plus (PACER Plus); Comprehensive and Progressive 
Agreement for Trans -Pacific Partnership (C PTPP); United Kingdom, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru ; United 
Kingdom – Colombia ; EFTA – Türkiye; and Nicaragua – Chinese Taipei . 
3 Documents WT/REG/W/ 165, WT/REG/W/ 167, WT/REG/W/169 and WT/REG/W/ 172 . WT/REG/33  
 
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  5  CONSIDERATION OF REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS  
5.1.  In the period 16 October 2021 to 15 October 2022, 18 factual presentations were distributed, 
all of which were used as the basis for consideration of RTAs in the CRTA in 2022 (see Attach ment) .  
5.2.  In an effort to unblock the backlog in the receipt of delayed data and comments, the Chairman 
consulted with few delegations . At the Committee's 104th Session, noting the lack of response from 
delegations regarding his request from consultations, t he Chairman encouraged Parties to 
collectively improve transparency in RTAs by attending these consultations and provid ing the missing 
information as soon as possible . The Chairman with the help of the Secretariat drew up and circulated 
in advance of CRTA meetings a list of such RTAs.4 
5.3.  Although considerable progress has been made in the preparation of factual presentations, the 
Committee continues to experience some difficulties in adhering to its work programme. This is due 
to a number of factors: delays in the receipt of statistical data from parties, data discrepancies in 
Members' submissions, and delays in the receipt of comments from parties.  
5.4.  The Committee was informed at its 104th Session that the RTA Section would be organizing a 
series of webinars e ntitled "RTA Data Dialogues", aimed at technical officials handling RTA data 
submissions. The Chairman requested Members to encourage their capital -based colleagues to 
participate in these dialogues.  
6  SUBSEQUENT NOTIFICATION AND REPORTING  
6.1.  In the period 16  October 2021 to 15 October 2022, three notifications of changes were received 
and posted on the RTA Database.5 
6.2.  The Secretariat circulated a list of RTAs subject to end of implementation (EOI) reports as of 
31 January 2022  (document WT/REG/W/ 164). EOI  reports were due for 180 RTAs, and the EOI for 
14 RTAs was in 2022. The EOI for 125 RTAs is from 2023 onwards, while  for one RTA the EOI year 
is not available . No such report was submitted in the period 16 October 2021 to 15 October  2022.  
7  DATABASE ON RTAS  
7.1.  The Secretariat continues to update the database on individual RTAs, in accordance with the 
requirements of the Tra nsparency Mechanism for RTAs.  
8  TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  
8.1.  At the 105th Session of the Committee, the Secretariat gave an account of the RTA -related 
technical assistance activities it had undertaken in 2022 and those planned for 2023. 
9  PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE AND FAC ILITATE THE EXAMINATION PROCESS  
9.1.  No discussion took place on this item.  
10  MC12 OUTCOME AND WTO REFORM  
10.1.  At the 104th Session of the Committee , the Chairman encouraged Members to consider what 
could be improved in the context of the CRTA as part of the WTO refo rm efforts . He indicated his 
availability to any discussions or initiatives Members may find appropriate.  At the Committee's 105th 
Session the representative of the United States indicated his delegation would soon table a 
submission in that respect.  
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4 Documents WT/REG/W/ 166, WT/REG/W/ 168/Rev.1, WT/REG/W/170 and WT/REG/ W/173. 
5 ASEAN - China; Pakistan – China and Türkiye  - Serbia . WT/REG/33  
 
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  ATTACHMENT  
MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS HELD IN 2022 
102nd Session – 28 March 2022 
 
 WT/REG/M/ 102 
 
 WT/REG434 /M/1 United Kingdom  - Türkiye , goods  
 WT/REG432 /M/1 United Kingdom - Singapore , goods  and services  
 WT/REG442/M/1  China - Mauritius, goods and services  
103rd Session  – 27 June 2022 
 
 WT/REG/M/ 103 
 
WT/REG444 /M/1 Ukraine - Israel , goods6 
 WT/REG4 50/M/1 Namibia - Zimbabwe , goods  
 WT/REG4 23/M/1/Rev.1  United Kingdom - Chile, goods and services  
 WT/REG4 19/M/1 United Kingdom - Canada , goods and services  
 WT/REG4 53/M/1 United Kingdom  - Jordan , goods  
 WT/REG 332/M/1  European Union – Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, 
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama) , goods and 
services  
104th Session – 22 September 2022   
 
 WT/REG/M/ 104 
 
WT/REG4 60/M/1 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)  - Singapore , services  
 WT/REG4 37/M/1 United Kingdom  - Switzerland , goods  
 WT/REG4 33/M/1  United Kingdom - Tunisia , goods  
 WT/REG4 31/M/1 United Kingdom – Republic of Korea , goods and services  
 WT/REG 452/M/1 Republic of Korea  – Central America (Costa Rica, El Salvador, 
Honduras , Nicaragua and Panama), goods and services  
105th Session – 14 November 202 2 (to be issued ) 
 WT/REG/M/ 105 
 
WT/REG/W/ 171 Draft Report (202 2) of the CRTA to the General Council  
WT/REG339 /M/2 Republic of Korea  – Türkiye , services   
WT/REG417 /M/1 United Kingdom - Kenya , goods  
 
6 The factual presentation was dist ributed in the period 16 October 2020 to 15 October 2021.  WT/REG/33  
 
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  WT/REG428 /M/1 United Kingdom - Israel , goods  
WT/REG426/M/1  United Kingdom - Egypt, goods  
WT/REG456/M/1  United Kingdom – Mexico, goods  
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